Low water levels at Great Salt Lake continue to threaten Utah’s economic, ecological, and human health. But the latest report from The Great Salt Lake Strike Team – a collaboration of technical experts from Utah’s research universities and state agencies – finds that Utah continues to make meaningful progress in ameliorating the problem. 

With efforts that include water conservation, infrastructure investment (including measurement and monitoring), statutory and regulatory reforms, berm management and other actions, the state’s multi-year, data-driven strategy to conserve, dedicate and deliver water to the lake is on track the report said.

The strike force’s analysis reiterates that Utah receives numerous economic, ecological and human health benefits from the lake and that the costs of inaction to the economy, human health and ecological conditions remain significant.

Stabilizing and raising lake levels, managing salinity and protecting economic, human and species health will require many years of stewardship leading up to the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and beyond, report authors emphasized.

“Success requires everyone in the Great Salt Lake Basin to participate in yearly conserving, dedicating and delivering water to the lake,” said the report.

In late January, the Great Salt Lake Commissioner’s office will release the “2034 Plan for a Healthy Great Salt Lake.” The plan builds upon the “Great Salt Lake Strategic Plan,” released last January, by identifying actions needed over the next ten years to preserve the benefits Great Salt Lake provides to Utah and the world. Data developed by the Strike Team will be included in this plan.

“All indications demonstrate that delivering more water to the lake is a far more cost-effective solution than managing the impacts of a lake at a perpetually low level,” said Brian Steed, co-chair of the Great Salt Lake Strike Team and Great Salt Lake commissioner. “We can invest time and financial resources now or pay much later. Fortunately, we have great data and a balanced and workable plan to succeed.”

Utah’s research universities – Utah State University and the University of Utah – formed the Great Salt Lake Strike Team to provide a primary point of contact for policymakers as they address the economic, health and ecological challenges created by the low elevation levels of the lake. Together with state agency professionals, the Strike Team brings together experts in public policy, hydrology, water management, climatology, dust and economics to provide impartial, data-informed and solution-oriented support for the commissioner’s office and other Utah decision-makers. The Strike Team does not advocate but instead functions in a technical, policy-advisory role as a service to the state.

“Low lake elevations created by rising temperatures and human water depletions continue to put at risk the benefits created by the lake,” said William Anderegg, Strike Team co-chair and director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy at the University of Utah. “Our review of the data confirms that with steady and deliberate actions, we can first stabilize and then raise lake elevation to levels that protect the benefits provided by the lake.”

The Strike Team’s report includes reporting on lake elevation, reservoir storage, salinity, streamflow, human water use, water rights and change applications and mineral extraction. The report identifies over 30 major milestones from 2024, including Lake elevation, ecosystem and brine shrimp recovery, invasive species control, funding for lake preservation activities and water donations and releases.λ